Spring cover



May 31, 1938.

w. R. cHEsLEY 2,118,879

SPRING COVER Filed April 25, 1936 Fig.1.

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Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF! SPRING COVER pany, Detroit, Mich,

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Application April 25,

3 Claims.

This invention pertains to spring covers for use on leaf springs of automotive vehicles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and improved means of securing an articulated metal spring cover in the proper position on a spring.

My invention more particularly pertains to that type of cover which consists, in the main, of two pieces, one piece enclosing three sides of a spring and extending partially over the fourth side and the other piece, called 'a closing strip, being a member for securing the two edges of the first member together and at the same time closing the cover on the fourth side of the spring.

My invention may be used in conjunction with spring covers of the general type shown by United States patent to Skok, 1,284,482, in which the main portion of the spring cover consists of a plurality of sections horizontally connected, or a cover as shown in the United States application for a patent of Ferguson, Serial No. 758,068, now Patent No. 2,043,536, dated June 9, 1936, in which the main portion of the cover comprises one integral unit divided into a plurality of sections by transverse slots which provide the necessary flexibility.

In the application of the closing strip, which is used to secure the main portion of the cover in position and to close the fourth side, it has heretofore been necessary to snap the closing strip into position by first hooking the flange of one edge of the closing strip to the complementary flange of the cover and then forcing the other flange of the closing strip past the other complementary flange on the cover. Thereafter the closing strip is locked in position by bending the complementary flanges into a horizontal position. Because of the necessity of positioning the closing strip in the foregoing manner it has been impossible heretofore to preform the flanges to a position where further bending would be unnecessary after engagement of the closing strip with the main portion of the cover.

By my invention I am enabled to preform the flanges of the cover and closing strip so that further bending to secure proper engagement is unnecessary, and installation of the cover is thereby simplified. Other objects and accomplishments of my invention will appear hereinafter in the light of the description and with the aid of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows an inverted view of my closing strip;

Fig. 2 shows a plan View of a spring cover with which my closing strip may be used;

a corporation of Michi- 1936, Serial No. 76,384

(Cl. 2673"l) Fig. 3 is a plan view of my closing strip in engaging position on the spring cover;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4! of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the nature of the engagement of the preformed flange on the closing strip and the cover;

Fig. 6 is a detail of one means of preventing subsequent disengagement of the closing strip and cover.

Referring now to the drawing, in Fig. 1 is shown the closing strip 2 in which the flanges 4 and 6 have been formed to their final position at the time of manufacture of the closing strip. It will be noted that the closing strip 2 is tapered, the angle between the sides being relatively small.

Fig. 2 shows a spring cover 3 which is suitable for use in conjunction with the closing strip 2. The cover 8 in this instance is formed of an integral sheet comprising sections I0, l2 and M which sections are separated by transverse slots it and [8 extending around at least three sides of the cover. These slots are necessary if the cover is to flex with the spring. Extending around the inside of the cover, and covering the slots it and I8 are transverse bands and 22 which are held in position by their ends which are secured by depressed strips 23 and 24, forced downwardly from the cover at 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

This cover is of the general nature of the cover shown in the application of Ferguson, Serial No. 758,068 above referred to, the main distinction being that the edges of the cover on the fourth side are not parallel but converge at an angle the same as that of the flanges of the closing strip. The flanges 26 and 28 of the cover 8 are likewise preformed and are complementary to the flanges 4 and 6 of the closing strip 2.

Fig. 3 shows the closing strip 2 in locking engagement with cover 8. This is the position of the cover and closing strip when secured on a spring. In applying the closing strip so that it may reach the position shown in Fig. 3 it is unnecessary to snap the closing strip on the cover as is customary in cases where the sides of the closing strip and edges of the cover are parallel. Instead, I simply place the closing strip slightly to the left of the cover as shown in Fig. 3 until the flanges i and 6 clear flanges 26 and 28. Because of the angularity of the sides of the closing strip and the width of the engaging flanges, the extent of the movement to the left is slight, it amounts to not more than one quarter of the length of the body portion and is not, therefore, sufficient to cause the extending end of the closing strip to engage either the eye of the spring or, if the cover is applied in reverse position, the axle to which the spring is secured.

Thereafter the closing strip 2 is slid to the right until it reaches the final position as shown in Fig. 3. The cam action of the tapered engaging flanges draws the cover tightly about the spring to firmly hold it in position. Since the angle of the taper is slight the frictional engagement of the flange is suflicient to retain the closing strip in position but, as an added precaution, the flanges at some point in their engagement may be flattened by a blow from a hammer or otherwise resulting in the formation shown in Fig. 6, thereby providing added insurance against disengagement.

Further details of my construction are shown in Fig. 4 which is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the covering mounted on a leaf spring 30. Before applying the cover it is customary to apply to the spring a lubricant or stabilizing compound, some of which is forced 'between the spring leaves. Thereafter a fabric liner 32 is wrapped around the spring. The cover is then positioned on the spring about the liner by separating the edges of the cover sufliciently to allow the spring to pass therethrough. Thereafter the engagement of the closing strip with the flanged cover edges draws the cover to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

A closing strip of this construction is especially desirable in the application of a spring cover to a spring in a finished automobile. In such cases there is but little room between the spring and the car frame which makes it difficult to properly crimp the closing strip of conventional construction. In such cases my closing strip and preformed flanges, which require no further bending, may be used.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, I do not intend to be limited thereby, but only by the appended claims.

1. A spring cover comprising a channel-shaped section terminating in longitudinal extending tapered flanges formed from a single sheet slotted transversely at intervals to promote flexibility and carrying a plurality of transverse bands engaging deformations on said section and held covering said slots thereby, and a single tapered member for closing the open side of said channelshaped section, said section and member capable of disengagement by a comparatively short relative longitudinal movement.

2. A spring casing comprising a body portion formed to extend around three sides of a leaf spring and partly on the fourth side, the opposed longitudinal edges of said body portion on said fourth side having reversely turned diverging flanges, and a closing strip for closing the fourth side having reversely turned diverging flanges complementary to and engaging said named flanges, whereby said body portion may be contracted by relative longitudinal movement of said closing strip, said complementary flanges having deformed portions preventing longitudinal displacement of said closing strip.

3. A casing for a leaf spring comprising a main body portion extending about three sides of the spring and part way about the fourth side, and a closing strip, both the body portion and closing strip having complementary longitudinally extending flanges in looking engagement, said flanges diverging at a small angle whereby said body portion may be tightened on said spring by contracting the same through longitudinal movement of said closing strip, said complementary flanges having deformed portions preventing longitudinal displacement of said closing strip.

WALTER R. CHESLEY. 

